Means for retracting trolleys.



' No. 673,!86'. Patented App. 30, mm. T. J. WHITE.

MEANS FOR RETRAGT'ING TRULLEYS.

(Application filed Dec. 26, 1900.)

(No Model.)

IIzJeIZ ZZr J/zoms TV s and parts broken out.

vertical bar 7 at 12.

' r'rED STATES PATENT @Frrcn.

THOMAS J. WHITE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

"MEANS FOR RETRACTING TROLLEYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,186, dated April 30, 1901.

Application filed December 26, 1900. Serial No. 41,051. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. WHITE, a citizenof the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Retracting Trolleys, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a means whereby the trolleys of electrically-operated railwaycars may be retracted upon becoming freed from the trolley-wires against which they travel, so as to avoid the occurrence-of damage to the crossing wires by the trolley striking them.

The invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a perspective view showing the exterior of my device. Fig. II is a view in elevation with the front of the box removed and parts broken out. Fig. III is a view in elevation with the rear of the box removed Fig. IV is a view in vertical section taken on the line IV IV, Fig. I. Fig. V is an enlarged view, in vertical section, taken on the line V V, Fig. I. Fig. VIis a top view of the guide-rollers through which the trolley-rope travels.

I designates a box, of any suitable shape, having a front 2 and a back 3.

4 designates a grooved drum revolubly mounted within the box 1 on a spindle 5, seated in a bearing 6, and a vertical bar 7.

8 is a trolley-rope connected at one end to the drum 4, so as to be wound in the grooves therein, said rope having its other end suitably connected to the trolley-pole and passing between a pair of guide-rollers 9, assembled together and carried by the box 1 at the location of an aperture 10 therein, through which the rope passes.

ll designates a convolute spring having one end fixed to the spindle 5 of the drum 4 and having the opposite end secured to the (See Figs. II and IV.) Upon the front face of the drum 4, at the edge thereof, are a series of ratchet-teeth 4.

l3 designates a pawl pivoted at 14 to the box 1 and having a point 15, adapted to engage the ratchet-teeth 4, the pawl being normally held in engagement with said ratchetteeth by a spring 16, so as to prevent rotation of the drum 4 under the action of the spring 11, that is normally under tension.

In the practical use of the device to set it for the retraction of the trolley the operator by grasping the trolley-rope 8 draws upon said rope to unwind it from the drum 4 and provide sufficient slack to permit of the trolley riding in contact with the trolley wire with freedom. In so doing the convolute spring 11 is placed under tension, and the pawl 13, which rides in engagement with the ratchet-teeth 4 prevents retrograde rotation of the drum and holds it normally subject to the tensional action of said spring throughout .the period that the trolleyremains in contact with the trolley-wire.

17 designates a trigger pivoted at 18 to the box 1 and having a head 19, positioned in proximity to the lower free end of the pawl 13. The outer free end of the trigger 17 is connected by a slack rope 20 to the trolleyrope 8 or to the trolley, as may be desired. In the event of the trolley escaping from the trolley-wire and moving upwardly under the action of its usual controllingspring a pull is efiected upon the slack rope 20, and the outer free end of the trigger 17 is elevated, thereby rocking the trigger-head 19 against the lower end of the pawl 13 and throwing the point 15 of said pawl out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth 4 so as to free the drum 4 from restraint. On the drum being freed the convolute spring 11 acts to rotate said drum in a reverse direction from that in which it was originally rotated to wind the spring and permit the placing of the trolley against the trolley-wire, with the result that the trolley-rope is again wrapped around the drum and the trolley is drawn downwardly away from the trolley-wire and out of proximity with the crossing wires, so that the liability of damage by its striking such crossing wires is obviated.

In order to prevent recoil or rebound of the trolley when it is drawn downwardly under the action of the spring 11, I provide an arrangement that will now be described. Upon the rear face of the drum 4 are a series of ratchet-teeth 4" opposite the ratchet-teeth 4*, but having their points arranged to face in the opposite direction from said teeth at. 21 designates a dog pivoted at 22 to the back of the box and having a point 23 adapted to engage the ratchet-teeth 4 end of the dog 21 is connected to the lower end of the pawl 13 by a spring 24:. When the trolley is drawn downwardly under the action of the spring 11, winding the rope onto the drum 4:, there is a tendency of the trolley to recoil or rebound by reason of sudden check in its downward movement, and in such event the point 23 of the dog 21 having been thrown into contact with the ratchet.- teeth 4 on the freeing of the pawl 13 from the ratchet-teeth 4c engages the ratchet-teeth 4 and prevents the reverse rotation of the drum 4, thereby bringing the trolley to a standstill.

I claim as my invention 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a revoluble drum having connection with the trolley to be retracted, a spring connected to said drum, means for holding said drum from retrograde move-- ment, means for freeing said drum-holding means from engagement with the drum, and a connection between the holding and freeing means to insure cooperation of the same, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a revoluble drum, a tension spring connected to said drum, two sets of ratchet-teeth upon said drum, a connection between said drum and the trolley to be retract-ed, a pawl arranged to engage one set of said ratchet-teeth, means for freeing said pawl from said ratchet-teeth, and means arranged to engage the other set of ratchetteeth, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a revoluble drum, a tensionspring connected to said drum, means of connection between said drum and the trolley to be retracted, ratchet-teeth on said drum, spring-controlled pawls arranged to engage said ratchet-teeth alternately, and a trigger having connection with'the trolley by means of which one of said pawls may be freed from engagement with said ratchet-teeth, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a revoluble drum, means of connection between said drum and the trolley to be retracted, atension-spring connected to. said drum, means for holding said drum from retrograde movement, means connected with said trolley whereby said drum may be freed, and means for preventing the recoil or The lower reverse movement of said drum and the trolley connected thereto after the trolley has been drawn down by the drum, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a revoluble drum, means of connection between said drum and the trolley to be retracted, a tension-spring connected to said drum, ratchet-teeth arranged upon the faces of said drum, a pawl arranged to engage one set of said ratchet-teeth, means connected with said trolley arranged to free said pawl from said ratchet-teeth, a dog arranged to be thrown into engagement with the other set of said ratchet-teeth, and a spring conmeeting said pawl and dog, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described the combination with a revoluble spring-controlled drum, ratchet-teeth on each side thereof, pawls adapted to engage the said teeth, and means controlled by the upward movement of the trolley-arm for freeing one of said pawls from the drum whereby the energy of the spring is free to draw the trolley-pole downward and means to operate the other pawl whereby retrograde movement of the pawl is prevented.

7. In a device of the character described the combination with a revoluble spring-controlled drum, ratchet-teeth formed on each side thereof, connected cooperating pawls adapted to engage the teeth on the respective sides of the drum, means for holding one of the-pawls normally in contact with the teeth on one side of the drum a trigger normally in engagement with said pawl and a connection between this trigger and a trolley-pole whereby excessive upward movement of the pole simultaneously throws one of the pawls out of engagement with the drum and the other pawl into engagement with the drum, thus freeing the drum to the action of its spring at the same time preventing a retrograde movement of the same.

8. In a device of the character described the combination with a spring-controlled revoluble drum, a trolley-rope connected to the drum, of ratchet-teeth arranged on the faces of the drum, pawls adapted to engage said teeth, a connection between said pawls a trigger adapted to engage one of said pawls, and a connection 20 between said trigger and the trolley-rope.

THOMAS J. WHITE.

In presence of E. S. KNIGHT, M. P. SMITH. 

